We can’t wait for you to discover the St. Louis that we know and love! We know you’ll be amazed at what St. Louis has to offer. From the large number of absolutely FREE attractions, to the craft brewery scene, to the incredible restaurants; there is something for everyone. You will certainly be busy at WordCamp US (WCUS), but in your free time, we hope you find something in this post that intrigues you!
What to Do:
WCUS’s venue and hotel block are both on Washington Avenue in Downtown St. Louis. This street has been called one of the “10 Best Streets in America.” It offers a combination of beautiful historic architecture, lofts, boutiques, restaurants, and nightlife all within walking distance!
Just several blocks south of Washington Avenue is a mile-long green space that starts at the Mississippi riverfront at the newly-renovated Gateway Arch National Park and continues to historic St. Louis Union Station, which will open a 75,000-square-foot St. Louis Aquarium and a 200-foot tall Ferris wheel in the fall of 2019! Along the way, you’ll walk through Kiener Plaza with its new playground and CityGarden, an urban park and sculpture garden.
St. Louis Neighborhoods
One of the most helpful things to learn about St. Louis is that it is comprised of a fascinating array of different “neighborhoods.” Downtown is one neighborhood among many in St. Louis. When you check out the links in this post about what to do and where to eat, you will discover all the neighborhoods that make up St. Louis.
Here’s a tip: Neighborhoods that are only 10-20 minutes away from Downtown by car ride or public transportation include (but are not limited to!): Soulard, Lafayette Square, Laclede’s Landing, South Grand, The Grove, The Hill, Forest Park, Clayton, Central West End, and The Loop. All of these areas have amazing dining, shopping, and other attractions.
To get a real sense for the large variety of things to do in St. Louis, take a look at this article titled “25 Things To Do In St. Louis”. Fun and family-friendly activities include taking a ride to the top of the Gateway Arch, taking advantage of the free St. Louis Zoo, Art Museum, Science Center, and Missouri History Museum in Forest Park (larger than Central Park in NYC!), exploring Ballpark Village entertainment complex next to Busch Stadium (we love our sports!!), and having fun at City Museum (where the WordFest party takes place this year).
If you love live music, St. Louis is the place to be. You can find national and local acts playing each night in a variety of venues. St. Louis played a huge role in the development of Blues music, and in 2016, the National Blues Museum opened – right next door to America’s Center, the WCUS venue.
Where to Eat:
The St. Louis culinary scene has been the recipient of numerous accolades including Bon Appetit’s Top 10 New Restaurants in America (Nixta), Food & Wine’s Top 10 Best New Chefs (Gerard Craft), and two James Beard Awards for Best Chef: Midwest (Gerard Craft and Kevin Nashan). Eating in St. Louis is a cross-cultural experience as there are ethnic cuisines from around the world. St. Louis also has several of its own must-try homegrown specialties including St. Louis-style pizza, toasted ravioli, and gooey butter cake!
There are far too many excellent restaurants to list here, so to help you choose where to eat, check out this list of 2019 Readers’ Choice Winners published by Sauce Magazine in St. Louis. This list has just about every category you can think of including Coffee Shops, Breweries, Vegetarian/Vegan, Sushi, Steakhouses, Fine Dining, Mediterranean, Italian, Chinese, Thai, Mexican, Burgers, Pizza, BBQ, and more! SPOILER ALERT! The Readers’ Favorite St. Louis Restaurant, Sugarfire Smokehouse, has a location on Downtown’s Washington Avenue! If you’d rather search by neighborhood, take a look at St. Louis Magazine’s restaurant recommendations by neighborhood.
Vegetarian and Vegan Recommendations
- WCUS Recommended Places by St. Louis Community member David Needham.
- Alive Magazine: 11 Perfect Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants in St. Louis
- Culture Trip: 10 Best Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants In St. Louis
- Happy Cow: Top Ten Vegan and Vegarian Friendly Restaurants in St. Louis
Looking for Coffee?
You definitely want to check out our ultimate St. Louis coffee shop list.
Desserts
Got a sweet tooth? So do we. Check out these amazing dessert locations.
- Alive Magazine: 12 Top St. Louis Dessert Spots
- St. Louis Magazine: Best Dessert Sports in St. Louis
- Two St. Louis establishments Ranked in Fodor’s Top 20 US Dessert Locations
We look forward to welcoming you and helping you discover St. Louis!
If you’re vegan like me, hit me up for restaurants that offer vegan options and restaurants that are actually all vegan. We have a lot of options in this great city!